The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-17
TRAIN ROBBERS KILLED.
Indications that the Business Is Not Only
Becoming Unpopular, but Dangerous.

Ell PAso. Tex, Oct 15.-The meager reports
sent from here last night. owing to the lateness
of the hour. regarding the attempted train-ro
berry, gave but a fraction of the tale. 1t was a
great victory that robber should be killed,
but what was the astonishment of the public
here when the dead body of another robber was
brought in this morning. The Galveston, Har-
risbure g. San Antonio express, which should
have started east yesterday at 430 p. NJ, was
delayed till about $3.50, waiting for the Southern
Pacific train from the west Engineer Lohrer
says that when his train had gone mile. two
men, wearing cloth masks, came over the
tender. each with revolver in hand The en-
eineer tried TO stop the train. but the men or
dered him to run on to a curve and stop quick.
When he reached the curve. five miles from the
city, they ordered him and his fireman to get off
the engine, and took them back to the
express car. The robbers in the meantime were
firing off their revolvers and shouting and ours
ing. Reaching the express car, one of them
threw dynamite against the front door on the
side of the The explosion knocked large
hole In the door and broke out the glass in the
other doors. The robbers called to the express
messenger to como out The messenger was ].
Ernst Smith. and with him was j. r. Beardsley,
a clerk in the Wells Fargo Office at Fort w ORTIZ
When they heard the firing. they put out the
lights and went to the rear end of the car. At
the command OF the robbers, they came out,
Smith leaving his revolver just inside the door.
The robbers ordered Smith and Beardsey to
hold up their hands and then searched them
Smith was then ordered to 60 back into the car
and light the lamps. He climbed back
and the foremost robber started to
follow. Smith seized his pistol, placed it al
most against the robbers brest, and fred, send
ing bullet through his heart The robber fell
back, dead, but fred twice at Smith while fall
ing. Smith and the other robber also ex-
changed shots. The robber then attempted to
get his comrades body the engine, intending
While he was trying to lift the body upon the
engine the messenger got his double barreled shot
gun, leaned out of the and shot at him.
The robber sank down, then sprang up and
out of sight The train returned to this city;
the express car was repaired. and the train went
on, messenger Smith remaining in the city.
Deputy Marshals Van Ripper and Ross at once
started for Ysleta, thirteen miles east of
Ell Paso. and. securing three experienced Mexi-
trailers, had them at the scene of the hold
up" before daylight. City Marshal Wyett and
other officers were also the ground by sun
rise. The hunt was short. Less than fifty
yards from where ne was shot lay the second
robber, dead. His body was brought back to
the city and placed with that of his late comrade
In crime An examination showed that only
one buckshot had struck him; that it entered
the front side of the left shoulder and cut the
artery just above the heart. The officers are
rcticent, but it is learned that they believe they
are on the trail of more robbers. The theory is
that the pals of the two men on the train were
waiting with horses little beyond whore the
train was held up. The shots fred by the two
robbers were the signals that, after getting
their pluuder the two robbers intended to
forward with the engine and
leave the rest of the train. The
two robbers killed were about twenty-five years
of age. and powerfully built men. The first one
killed had on his person q receipt dated Terre
Haute, Ind. Sept. 2S, for n trunk marked j. F.
Emerson and received from j. E. Emerson.
The second robber is minus the third finger on
the right hand. One had about $40, and the
other $15. They recognized here, but their
names are unknown. Both were photographed
to-day. Messenger Smith is from ST. Louis and
is now living at San Antonio. He has been en-
ployed by the Wels-Fargo company for four
years, and runs between Ell Paso and San An
tonic. The citizens of Ell Paso presented him
with a sut of clothes to-day. and have raised
500 for a medal. j. W. Nichols, superin-
tendent of Wells. Fargo e. Co. for Texas and
Louisiana, teleRraphed Smith to-day. congratu-
lating him his victory. and saying il his ex-
ample followed train robbery would be
thing of the past.